1. Open the command prompt

1. Click the Windows Start button.
2. Select Run.
3. In the Open field, type CMD.
4. Click OK. The Windows Command Prompt screen will display.

2. Ping the target computer

1. In the command prompt window, type either of the following: 
   • ping <computer name>
   • ping <IP Address>
2. Press the Enter key to initiate the ping.
    NOTE: A successful connection will result in a "Reply" within 1-20 ms.  When there's no reply within 4 seconds, the command will report a "Request timed out" error.  

3. Verify ping replies

• Receives four replies from the target machine, showing the target IP address.
• Make a note of this IP address.

4. Check the network configuration on the target machine

1. Log in to the target machine as an administrator.
2. Open the Command Prompt.
3. In the Command Prompt window, type: ipconfig /all.
4. Press Enter. Scroll up to see all the information.
5. Identify the correct network adapter, typically titled Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection.
6. Make a note of the IPv4 Address. This number must match the ping replies.

5. Performance issues

• If you receive replies with a high time (for example, time=159ms), this indicates performance issues.
• Expected ping response times are usually under 1 ms for computers in the same location.
• If the response time is high (5ms or more), it will impact network performance.

6. Firewall issues

• Ping the hostname and receive Request timed out messages, but return the correct IP address. This usually means the target machine's firewall is blocking the connection.
• Turn off all firewalls on the target machine and try the ping test again.

7. DNS issues

1. Ping the hostname and receive Request timed out messages, or return an incorrect IP address. This typically means the originating machine's DNS cache is invalid.
2. Clear the DNS cache by typing ipconfig /flushdns in the command prompt window and pressing Enter. This forces the machine to obtain new DNS information from its assigned DNS servers.

8. Verify network settings

• Ensure the network settings on the originating machine are correct. That is, valid DNS servers and correct static IP settings.

9. Two-way communication

• Run the same test from the second machine to the first machine to ensure two-way network connectivity.
• If the problem persists, get help from your IT team.